Tuesday, 17 February 2015

My heart knows no other joy greater than nestling my little baby to my bosom ,holding those little fingers ,breathing in that typical baby smell ,feeling those soft curls on the little head... It is a feeling that can only be felt and not described in words .

I had my son after a long time of having my daughter ,so this bundle of joy was a much awaited addition to our family .Since I had a hectic work schedule , night time was the only time when I could enjoy the company of my baby at leisure .My typical day would start with getting my daughter ready for school ,packing tiffins and sending her off to school .Then I would get the baby and baby food ready and after handing over the baby to my mother-in -law ,I would rush off to work .Evenings would again be about checking homework and preparing dinner and then let everybody settle down .
After all this running around came the 'us' time ,when me and my baby would spend some time together in peace .

Since my son and daughter both were born in relatively warm weather ,I had followed a similar bed time routine for both of them .It is important to have routines as they help the baby in getting ready to unwind and sleep .It is like conditioning the baby's reflexes so that it knows that it is nap time .

My routine was something like this :

1.Take bath -I first of all took a leisurely bath myself , so that it refreshed and relaxed me .It also helps in getting rid of the pollutants and sweat that you gather throughout the day.I added Lavender and Chamomile essential oils to the bath water which helps in mental relaxation and also eases aches .Then I to dressed in a fresh set of clothes while sleeping with my baby .. I actually used baby powder on myself too as it is free from strong fragrances and chemicals .Familiar smells play a role in calming the baby too and happy and relaxed mother can soothe the baby better .

2.Give the baby a bath- Once I was fresh and relaxed ,It was the baby's turn to get a bath.During that period I would hum some gentle tunes to relax the baby .After that I would give a gentle oil massage to the baby .I only used Johnson's Baby Night time oil, as it is non sticky and contains soothing aromas too .

Massage also helps in unwinding and better bonding of the mother and baby ,as touching releases the hormone oxytocin which has a calming and anti-depressing effect on both the mother and the baby.
Once done with the massage , I put a fresh pair of Pamper pants on the baby .I only use Pampers because it ensures a snug fit without being too tight or loose for the baby's comfort and also keeps the baby dry in case of wetting .

I was fortunate in my son's case , that Pampers dry pants were available at that time since he frequently suffered from coughs and colds and it was important for me to ensure that I did not have to take him out of the bed for frequent nappy changes and risk him catching a cold .Pampers can keep the baby drier for a longer period compared to other brands and it also has baby oil that keeps the baby's skin soft and does not allow the skin to get inflamed ( which happened commonly with other non pant style diapers).

3.Lullaby time - Once my baby was in comfortable gear , I would dim the lights and would hush the talk as talking stimulates the baby and prevents sleep .Rather I would gently keep patting the baby while he lay on my bosom and sing some lullabies . The good thing is that babies don't need a trained soprano they only need a soft voice and you could as well be singing multiplication tables or even just reciting the happenings of the day as long as you do it in a gentle and low pitched voice . I have done that quite a few times !

4.Snooze to dreamland - Once the baby starts drifting off to sleep I would gently put him / her to bed and keep on patting gently and keep on singing till he/ she sleeps .Even after the baby slept I would keep my hand on her body for some more time so that she felt snug .

Babies look so cute and innocent when they are sleeping , that it is hard to take your eyes off them .A bedtime routine is important to help your baby sleep better .A good night's sleep helps in better learning and growth of the baby and when the baby sleeps soundly the mother can too ,which keeps her happy and healthy too .